Senior politician suspended after attacking flight attendant

A senior political official got angry after his luggage had no room near his seat, so he beat the flight attendant.

A senior district official in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou has been suspended from office for allegedly beating a flight attendant, according to reports in the news media.

Fang Daguo, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Yuexiu District Committee and political commissar of the Yuexiu Armed Forces Department, faced a fierce public reaction after allegedly hitting a China Southern Airlines flight attendant during a flight from Hefei to Guangzhou Wednesday.

He has been suspended while the local government conducts an investigation.

Fang and his wife, both smelled of alcohol, had a dispute with the flight attendant after he suggested she put their hand luggage elsewhere after there was no room in the overhead compartment, a passenger the news media.

Fang grabbed the stewardess's arms, after yelling at her, the witness said. "I have no idea the extent of her injuries, but I saw scratches on her arms."

The flight attendant posted pictures on Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, showing bruises on her arms and neck and torn clothes.

The publicity department of the Yuexiu District said Friday that an investigation showed Fang and his wife had an argument with the flight attendant, but denied the fact that Fang beat her.

Fang and his wife, apologized for the incident, the department said in a statement.